Chelsea Leu

I wrote an essay about Steely Dan, my favorite band of all time, and being a weird teenager for the New Yorker dot com! newyorker.com/culture/cultur…

Colored Television by Danzy Senna review – race as performance theguardian.com/books/2024/oct…

Other people can be baffling, @chelsealeu writes. But these seven books each do their part in clearing up the mysteries of human behavior. theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

Even if you like what you do for a living, working can be tough, @chelsealeu writes. These titles help readers think through pressing questions about modern employment—including whether it’s time to quit: theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

A new attitude of moral unease toward international travel is pervasive, @chelsealeu writes. Would we be doing the world a favor if we just stayed home? theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

I raced through Akwaeke Emezi's new novel Little Rot, which I reviewed for the New York Times: nytimes.com/2024/06/16/boo…

I often feel like I’ll never have a good idea again, so I rounded up 8 books about creative block for The Atlantic: theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

Thrilled to share our summer reading guide...25 books, old and new, for your delectation. theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

@HamiltonCain Intriguing! I’m excited to read it!

@ChelseaLeu I couldn't tell whether Knopf vetted the basic lab technology--no small matter, as it's the foundation of the plot. No spoilers here; my piece is coming soon.

I was in The Guardian last week, with a review of Rachel Khong's beautiful novel Real Americans: theguardian.com/books/2024/apr…

@HamiltonCain I thought as a way of exploring identity it was very interesting, but I guess I found the explanation of what happened (and what we were supposed to conclude from it) a bit didactic. What did you think?

@ChelseaLeu What did you make of the genetic mystery?

Enjoying a book at a park, a beach, or an open-air café encourages a particular leisurely frame of mind, @chelsealeu writes. It allows a reader to let their thoughts wander, reflecting on matters that for once aren’t workaday or practical. theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

I reviewed Helen Oyeyemi’s latest novel for the New York Times, and, well, it’s a trip. A trip to Prague, that is: nytimes.com/2024/03/04/boo…

Changing oneself is harder than perky how-to guides and self-help books suggest, @chelsealeu writes. These titles, by contrast, are honest about the difficult emotional realities that accompany personal growth—and still offer hope. theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

@magger this is awful news, but i feel so lucky to have gotten to work with you, and grateful for your generosity!

These books explain our world with much-needed clarity, exposing how marvels like skyscrapers, computer chips, and the global supply chain are put together, @chelsealeu writes. theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

I rounded up 8 books about the complicated engineering that underpins our world—like global shipping, or infrastructure—for The Atlantic: theatlantic.com/books/archive/…

I read Lydia Davis’s new story collection—that one you can’t buy on Amazon—and reviewed it for The Times! nytimes.com/2023/10/04/boo…

@R_Turkewitz thank YOU for writing!!

I don’t usually read horror, but I genuinely enjoyed these three horror short story collections I reviewed for the Times: nytimes.com/2023/08/09/boo…